Learn Turkish: Üçüncü derece bir ödül. - It is a third-degree award.

It comes from the number üç (three). The suffix for ordinal numbers (first, second, third, etc.) is -(I)ncI. Because Turkish uses 4-way vowel harmony, and the vowel in üç is 'ü', the suffix becomes -üncü.

Why is bir placed in the middle of the sentence instead of at the beginning?

In English, we say "a third-degree award". But in Turkish, when you have an adjective describing a noun, the word bir (a/an) usually goes between the adjective and the noun. Here, the phrase üçüncü derece acts as the adjective describing ödül (award), so bir comes right before ödül.

Where is the "It is" part of the sentence?

In Turkish, basic "A is B" sentences often don't need a visible verb. The "is" is simply understood from the context. You could add the formal "to be" suffix to the end (ödüldür), but in everyday speech and simple descriptions, it is perfectly normal to just leave it off.

Does derece mean the same kind of "degree" as a temperature?

Yes! Derece translates directly to "degree". Just like in English, it can be used for temperature (like 30 degrees Celsius) or to describe ranks, levels, and classifications (like a third-degree prize or a first-degree burn).